Film I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit Debuts
Today marks the launch of I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit, a documentary-style short film that tells the story of how the freedom to innovate, enjoy, and profit brings people together. Produced by the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Passing Lane Films, the film interviews whiskey industry entrepreneurs as well as whiskey drinkers to illustrate how the commerce of whiskey creates human connection—from the farmers and distillers to restaurant owners, consumers, and beyond.
“I, Whiskey is about freedom, the freedom to connect and create,” said I, Whiskey Executive Producer Richard Morrison. “It tells the story of entrepreneurs, scientists, and bootleggers and celebrates their rebel spirit and colorful history. The Competitive Enterprise Institute loves to show how commerce helps build a flourishing civil society, and telling the story of whiskey is a fun, approachable way to do that.”
“Whiskey is science, chance, time, risk, ingenuity, love, intensity—it’s all in a glass when it’s done right,” said Rick Wasmund, owner of Copper Fox Distillery, the featured interviewee in the movie. “My name’s on the bottle, but I’m not the inventor of whiskey. I’m just a little guy trying to bring something new to the world that people will enjoy. It takes a lot of people and systems to make this work– bottle makers, the label people, the whole sales process, the retail operators – I love the connections that I have all over the country and the world.”
Formerly dominated by only a few companies, over the last few years many new craft distillers have entered the market, bringing more innovation and experimentation to the industry. Today, we are in the midst of a global distilling renaissance that’s bringing people together all around the world. I, Whiskey captures that story and highlights both the innovators and the consumers who are driving that evolving market. The movie is available for viewing on YouTube here.
I, Whiskey is the second film in CEI's acclaimed I, Pencil film series.
To find out more, visit iwhiskeymovie.org
To help spread the message on social media, check out #iwhiskey and follow along on Twitter via @iwhiskeyspirit